Overpass or underpass needed on Estero Boulevard

February 29, 2012

Several very good letters addressed traffic last issue. Among them Bob Wells wrote: "What would be a good way to jump start real estate values again on Fort Myers Beach? Resolve the traffic situation by removing the traffic light at Times Square and installing a pedestrian overpass or underpass." A call to Bob revealed he was on the traffic committee a few years back, engineering studies showed the project is feasible. But, it was somehow dropped.

Residents, we need to be concerned about how the traffic issue hurts the value of our precious asset -our home. Many buyers cannot get to the Beach to even see real estate. Our reputation for long waits in traffic is hurting us. Property values fell during the recession and have stagnated. We now have an image problem that getting here is not worth the wait in traffic.

Let's get behind this idea for one traffic-solving solution and try an overpass or underpass. It can't be that expensive; studies have been done. It could possibly be installed by next season. It will not solve all traffic issues, but while the town and county and state work on bigger ones (e.g. what to do with Seafarer's property, how to coordinate water system and Estero blvd redo, etc.), we can have this project completed and working.